The subject application relates generally to a header for use with agricultural harvesters. In particular, the subject application relates to an improved windrow pickup header having a unitary retention plate for fixedly supporting a first plurality of crop hold down tines and pivotably supporting a second plurality of crop hold down tines between operative and stowed positions.
Crop cutting apparatuses such as mower headers are used to cut plants including, but not limited to, hay, grasses, small grains and the like. The cutter device of the mower header feeds the cut crop into a crop conditioner such as a roll conditioner or a flail conditioner. After being conditioned the crop is propelled out of the back of the mower and onto the ground. Adjustable shielding in the back of the mower allows the operator to lay the cut crop in a swath such that it covers the ground like a carpet or mat or in a windrow whereby crop lays in a row. The manner in which crop is laid on the ground (mat or windrow) depends on whether the crop needs to be dried more and/or how it is to be picked up and packaged.
After the mower header has laid the cut crop as a mat or windrow on the ground, another header, commonly referred to as a windrow pickup header, is used to gather the cut crop and deliver it to a combine or similar agricultural device for further processing. A typical windrow pickup header includes a frame or chassis that is connectable to the combine. The chassis has a fore end, an aft end and first and second lateral ends. One or more endless belts carried by the chassis rotate from the fore end to the aft end of the chassis and includes a plurality of fingers that lift the cut crop from the mat or windrow and delivers it to an auger or other conveyor that in turn delivers the crop to a feederhouse opening in a rear wall of the windrow pickup header. Upon passing through the feederhouse opening the crop enters the combine where it undergoes further processing.
The windrow pickup header also includes a windrow hold down device for applying downward force on the cut crop as it is lifted and moved by the belt fingers. The windrow hold down device typically includes a plurality of “standard” tines which are fixedly connected to a mounting bar or channel member disposed at the fore end of the windrow header between first and second lateral ends thereof. The plurality of standard tines extends from the fore end toward the aft end of the header. In addition, the windrow hold down device includes another plurality of “floating” or “short crop” tines that are pivotably connected to the mounting bar or channel member and also extend from the fore end toward the aft end of the header. The standard and floating tines apply pressure to the windrow or mat to keep the crop engaged with the endless belt(s) as the crop is conveyed to the rear of the chassis. The windrow hold down device can be adjusted upwardly or downwardly to decrease or increase pressure on the crop, typically by means of at least one hydraulic cylinder carried by the chassis and connected to the windrow hold down device.
The crop mat or windrow can range from very thick and heavy to very thin and light. When the crop mat or windrow is light the floating tines should be in an operative position in contact with the crop to help keep the crop engaged with the endless belt(s). When the crop mat or windrow is heavy the floating tines should be secured into a stowed position since they are not needed to keep the crop engaged with the endless belt(s).
In conventional windrow hold down devices multiple parts are required to secure the standard and floating tines to the mounting bar and to secure the floating tines in the stowed position. More particularly, each of the standard tines requires a separate mounting part and the floating tines each require an individual limiter/storage feature or part which must be moved individually and manually in order to secure the floating tines in the stowed position.